It’s a new year and a real bit of me queried what to write about as an opening
for our blogging this year. As I searched and wondered, I was bought back to
this, it did help me a while back at one of the lowest times in my life. As
such, I thought to share it by including it in our first published post.
As this week starts, I will like to share some stories with you. This
post is for those contemplating on giving up; for those who are discouraged and
at a point in their lives where questions are being asked as to what next???. In
case you are contemplating giving up on your dream, goals, plans or
aspirations, I hope these will inspire you to finish strong.
As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain
and returned a private. Later, he failed as a businessman. As a lawyer in
Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to find success. He
turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again
defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his
application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the
senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in
1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. He later became the 16th
President of the United States of America.
Robert Sternberg received a C in his first
college introductory-psychology class. His teacher commented that “there was a
famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another.” Three
years later Sternberg graduated with honors from Stanford University with
exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In
2002, he became President of the American Psychological Association.
Albert
Einstein did
not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents
thought he was “sub-normal,” and one of his teachers described him as “mentally
slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” He was expelled from
school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He did
eventually learn to speak and read. Even to do a little math.
We read recently
about Walt Disney who was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination
and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built
Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on
the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.
Winston
Churchill had
difficulties as a child during his school years. After deciding to become a
politician, he was defeated in every single election for public office, until
he became Prime Minister at the age of 62. What does Churchill have to say
about failure? “Never give in–never, never, never, never, in
nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of
honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming
might of the enemy.
Me:I had difficulties in my studies from primary to
secondary school. My parents constantly threatened me with making me repeat the
class. Somehow, I always barely made it through. I got into my foundations and
I had to learn a lot of things I did not understand in order to be able to pass
and go into University. This I had
to self-teach myself if I can use that word.
I went into University and was told how difficult it
is for an international student to make something tangible of themselves in a
foreign country. I was the only black African female student on my course and
this meant I was easily spotted and picked for activities. Believe me I hated
it. To cut the long story short I not only graduated with a First class honors
degree but I also got awarded the best graduating student in my faculty.
So University finished and it became getting into
the career world. With no money and hardly anyone to turn to for assistance, I
had no job for 3 years. Day in day out, applications was made and I watched as
each and every rejection letter flooded in. For livelihood, I depended on
friends for the little they could give and hopped from one person to another for
accommodation and shelter.
Three years later I got a job as an intern with my
qualifications. 8 months later the program finished and I wasn't retained. I got
another job, only to be fired 3 days later due to financial constraints as they
put it. Today I am a Business Manager
who manages a team of 7. I am younger than every single member of the team I manage. I was
the youngest to go for the job interview and the only one that got the call
back.
Years ago, I would have laughed at the folly that things would ever get better for me. Each
time I almost gave up, these stories kept me going.
I learnt one lesson that keeps me going; my personal motto: I am
important to this world, but only me has the ability to make that importance a
reality.
There will always be voices or messages convincing you that it’s too late, you are not good enough but how you let that impact your future and destiny; that decision lies solely with you.
Never Give Up!!!
This week, make a decision to Finish Strong (and next week
too, and the week after).
Source: http://lighthouseng.org/evotionals/never-give-up/
